For Educators: Reflection Questions for Immersion Experiences

TOWARDS COMPLETENESS:

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION ON IMMERSION EXPERIENCES

“[Education] is the art of helping young people to completeness. For the Christian, this means that education is helping a young person to be more like Christ, the model for all Christians.”
– Blessed Basil Moreau, Founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross –

 

Immersion experiences offer memorable opportunities for encounters with other persons in whom “[t]he divine image is present,” as the Catechism states (1702). Below are reflection questions that are intended to help travelers to Holy Cross’s international ministries reflect on their experiences and grow closer to God.

 

DIRECTIONS: Hone in on a person-to-person encounter from your day. Slowly proceed through the following questions with a partner, in a small group, or in your journal.

 

What happened?

Use objective language to describe the encounter as if an impartial observer.

  1. Set the scene: Where, at what time, with whom, and in what context did the encounter occur? 
  2. Who was the other person? Describe them. In what state did you find them—physically, emotionally, medically, spiritually, etc.? What did you learn about them and the community or social circle that you experienced them within?
  3. What happened? What did they say or do? How did you respond? 

How did you experience the encounter?

Describe your internal, subjective experience of the encounter. 

Ex. “I felt…” 

“What stood out to me was…”

  1. What was your initial impression of the person?
  2. How did your emotional state change as a result of that interaction?
  3. How would you describe the encounter (ex. Challenging, rewarding, surprising, etc.?
  4. If you could replay the encounter again, is there anything you would do differently?

How has the encounter 

formed you?

  1. In what ways did you notice the other person’s dignity?
  2. How was God at work in your encounter with that person? In what way might God be drawing you towards “completeness” through this interaction?
  3. Is there a Scripture passage that is relevant or similar to this encounter? How was this encounter an invitation to love like Christ? 
 

For more resources for immersion experiences, email the Holy Cross Mission Center at hcmc@holycrossusa.org.

Published: April 29, 2024

News & Events

Explore Our Impact Around the World

Subscribe to Our Monthly Newsletter